Religious School

It has been a fantastic and exciting year for our religious school! From the youngest students just beginning to experience formal Jewish education to our oldest who will be confirmed at Temple on May 16, all of our students have been taught the values and ethics of Torah.

This year held some unique and innovative programs, all of which were successful. We will continue with these and more exciting programs next year, as we continue to create a sacred community of learners together with our religious school parents.At this time, we continue in our school’s transformation and growth in the following two ways:

Saturday School to become Sunday School at JBSC: As you may know, for several years, the Julia Bindeman Suburban Center offered our youngest students (K-2) a program on Saturday mornings instead of on Sundays. Several weeks ago, a poll was sent out (via SurveyMonkey) to all present K-1 JBSC families enrolled in religious school. All responses were unanimous in stating a desire to move Saturday's K-2 program to Sunday at JBSC. The Religious School committee met and received this information favorably. Next year, JBSC will offer Sunday School for K-7 and Tuesday Hebrew School for grades 4-7. (Upper School will remain on Tuesday evenings at both buildings, and Temple will continue to provide Sunday School for K-7 and Hebrew School for grades 4-7.) With this change many more students will be attending school on Sunday mornings at JBSC; in that vain, additional details regarding safety and security protocols will be sent to parents in late August.

Alternative K-2^nd Grade Program Option at Temple: This alternative program (with sufficient enrollment) will take place on Wednesday afternoons from 3:30pm-5:30pm at Temple and will include weekly music instruction with Audrey Katz as well as special programs similar to those found in our Sunday school program. Sunday school attendance will not be necessary, except for the Family Religious School Days in which parents have the opportunity to study with their child(ren). These Family Religious School Days occur one time for Kindergarten and First Grades (together) and one time for Second Grade. Additionally, there will be a special Shabbat service and dinner at Temple on a Friday evening for our Second graders and their families.

I know that you join me in the excitement that continued change, transformation and growth within our school will bring to our students (and their families) in the coming years. I thank you in advance for your ongoing support of our school community.

B’Shalom,

Rabbi Joui Hessel, RJE

Associate Rabbi and Director of Religious Education and Engagement

Upcoming Events:

	September, 2010
September 3	Religious School Office closed
September 4	Selichot
September 6	Labor Day
September 8	Erev Rosh Hashanah
September 9	Rosh Hashanah
September 12	Opening Day Assemblies K-2 Tefillah 7^th Grade Family Religious School	Temple and JBSC
September 14	No MCPS First Hebrew Class 3^rd Grade Parent meeting 5:30	JBSC
September 15	First Hebrew Class 3^rd Grade Parent Meeting 5:30	Temple
September 17	Kol Nidre
September 18	Yom Kippur
September 19	DELAYED OPENING: 10:00 a.m.	Temple and JBSC
September 21	Upper School begins: First 8th Grade Class First 10^th Grade Class	Temple and JBSC
September 22	Erev Sukkot Tefillah and family dinner program: 5:30	Temple
September 23	Sukkot: Religious School Office closed
September 24	Consecration and Sukkot celebration 6:00 Dinner 7:00 Service/Oneg	Temple
September 26	4^th Grade Orchard Trip 6^th Grade video on D.C. 7^th Grade trip to Organic Farm (tentative)	Temple and JBSC
September 28	Sukkot Tefillah and Family Dinner program 5:30	JBSC
September 29	NO RELIGIOUS SCHOOL: Erev Simchat Torah 6:00 Dinner 7:00 Service 8:00 Oneg	Temple
September 30	Simchat Torah